Sigmund Freud
Psychology's most famous figure is also one of the most influential and controversial thinkers of the twentieth century. Sigmund Freud's work and theories helped shape our views of childhood, personality, memory, sexuality and therapy. Other major thinkers have contributed work that grew out of Freud's legacy, while others developed new theories out of opposition to his ideas. In 2001,?Time Magazine?referred to Freud as one of the most important thinkers of the last century. A 2006?Newsweek?article called him "history's most debunked doctor." While his theories have been the subject of considerable controversy and debate, his impact on psychology, therapy, and culture is undeniable. As W.H. Auden wrote in his 1973 poem,?In Memory of Sigmund Freud,